OUR HISTORY
Fruehauf: A Legacy of Pioneering Trailers
Fruehauf’s story is a testament to innovation and dedication in the trailer industry. Our journey began over a century ago, and we continue to push the boundaries of trailer design and manufacturing. This About Us page explores our rich history, unwavering commitment to quality, and exciting vision for the future.
Pioneering the Semi-Trailer (1908)
The Birth of Modern Transportation
In 1908, the transportation landscape was forever changed with the invention of the semi-trailer by August Fruehauf in the USA. This revolutionary concept laid the foundation for the modern trailer industry, enabling more efficient and cost-effective freight movement.
Global Expansion and UK Strength
A Legacy of Excellence Around the World
As North America embraced the motorised age, Fruehauf capitalized on the growing demand for trailers, expanding its operations worldwide. This global expansion included a significant milestone in the early 1960s with a successful alliance formed between Fruehauf and Cranes, a respected UK manufacturer of heavy-duty trailers. The resulting partnership, known as Crane Fruehauf, introduced advanced trailer designs that captured a significant share of the UK market and were exported to numerous countries.
A New Chapter in UK Manufacturing
Building on a Strong Foundation
Fruehauf production in the UK has seen changes in ownership over the years. However, the core values of customer loyalty and dedication to product development have remained constant. Today, Fruehauf benefits from the experience and resources of MV Commercial, a leader in commercial vehicle sales and specialised crane trucks. This strong partnership positions Fruehauf for continued growth and innovation in the trailer industry.
Our Commitment to You
Unwavering Dedication to Quality and Service
At Fruehauf, we understand the importance of reliable and robust trailers for your business success. That’s why we remain committed to:
- Uncompromising Quality: We utilise cutting-edge manufacturing processes and high-grade materials to ensure our trailers are built to last.
- Innovative Design: Our team of engineers are constantly developing new and improved trailer designs that meet the evolving needs of the industry.
- Exceptional Customer Service: We believe in building strong partnerships with our customers. Our dedicated team is here to provide exceptional service and support throughout the entire ownership experience.
Looking to the Future
Fruehauf is poised for an exciting future. With a rich heritage of innovation, a commitment to quality, and a strong partnership with MV Commercial, we are dedicated to delivering the industry’s most reliable and advanced trailers. We invite you to explore our website and discover how Fruehauf can help you achieve your transportation goals.
Customer Testimonials
West Lothian-based waste management and recycling specialist, 3R Solutions, has praised Fruehauf for delivering 14 Sloper Smoothsider tipping trailers in a matter of weeks, helping the firm prepare for an important new contract.
Having never previously dealt directly with Fruehauf, the 3R Solutions team was hugely impressed with the speedy turnaround of the order, which also included the application of the company’s livery at the manufacturer’s Grantham site. The 14 tippers represent new additions to its 100-plus mixed commercial vehicle fleet.
3R Solutions Owner, David Ireland, says: “We had just secured a new contract and I needed the tipping trailers promptly. I contacted the team at Fruehauf, and they really stepped up, providing us with these fantastic smoothsiders from their ‘Ready to Go’ stock. The fact we were also able to have them expertly liveried in our company colours was a major bonus. It’s fair to say that Fruehauf really came up trumps for us.”
Pearn Wyatt & Son
Farming and haulage company, Pearn Wyatt & Son, has taken delivery of two bulk tippers, continuing a close relationship with Fruehauf that spans more than five decades.
The Norwich firm has added the new Sloper Smoothside tipping trailers from Fruehauf’s Ready to Go stock. The 70 cubic yard capacity trailers join the fleet just a few months after the company purchased a second-hand tipper from the manufacturer.
Of the 14 bulk tippers operated by the business, all paired with Volvo tractor units, 12 are sourced from Fruehauf – including one put into service in 2004 which continues to meet its agricultural haulage needs.
Owner Jonny Wyatt, who runs the company with his mother Anne, says the business has relied heavily on the tipping trailer manufacturer for so many years because its products are “exceptionally well-built, reliable and offer a high payload”.
“My father had Fruehauf tippers 50 years ago and we’ve always been happy with its trailers. They really stand the test of time,” he says. “In our business, we work them hard, so the fact we have several trailers on the fleet that are more than 15 years old is testament to their quality.”
GH By Products
Animal waste management specialist, GH By Products, is expanding its trailer fleet with the delivery of 10 new Fruehauf Stepframe Bathtub tipping trailers, building on a relationship between the two businesses that dates to 2015.
The Lincoln-based firm has placed the first two 67 cubic yard capacity bathtubs into operation, with the remaining tippers arriving two a month through to November. The new additions will operate from the company’s depots in Lincoln and York.
Joining a fleet of 220 trailers, 43 tractor units and seven rigids, the new bathtubs will be used to collect animal by-products from abattoirs around the UK to be processed into pet foods or used for incineration in the energy sector.
Cliff Mear, Director of GH By Products, says: “When we made the decision to expand and update our trailer fleet, our first thought was to talk to Fruehauf. Its bathtubs are excellent tipping trailers, they’re very well-built and do an excellent job of transporting the loads of animal waste we carry.
“We work closely with Fruehauf to ensure the tippers are built to the right specification to meet the needs of our business, which includes being easily cleaned, something that makes our daily operation more safe, hygienic and efficient.”
Logistics solutions provider, Bartrums, has added three more Fruehauf Stepframe Bathtub tipping trailers to its fleet to boost its UK-wide malt barley haulage operation.
The order strengthens the East Anglian company’s relationship with Fruehauf with which it has been dealing for more than a decade.
Tremayne Johnson, Operations Director at Bartrums, says: “We’re working the Fruehauf bathtubs hard seven days a week, transporting malt to breweries across the UK and barley to three major maltsters in Suffolk.
“The bathtub is an incredibly robust and reliable trailer that suits our business needs well. It offers an excellent tip and is easier to clean than a planksided trailer, making it exceptionally popular with our drivers.”
Britain’s only national grain marketing and arable inputs co-operative, Openfield, is taking delivery of 36 Sloper Smoothsider tipping trailers from Fruehauf as part of the company’s expansion plans.
The 72m3 trailers started arriving towards the end of 2022, making the short journey from Fruehauf’s base in Grantham to the nearby Lincolnshire firm. Further new tippers are due for delivery every month through to July, joining a mixed fleet of vehicles aiding Openfield’s 2023/24 growth ambitions.
The size of the deal underlines the agricultural company’s major investment in renewing and expanding its transport fleet. The fleet has grown by more than 40 per cent as the farmer-owned co-operative expands its grain marketing and input deliveries business.
The agreement also showcases the co-op’s continued confidence in Fruehauf, which has supplied trailers to Openfield for more than 20 years.
Keith Hughes, Head of Fleet at Openfield, says: “The quality of Fruehauf trailers is excellent. That’s why we have such a long and fruitful relationship with the company. And now it’s under the ownership of MV Commercial, we have even more trust in Fruehauf’s ability to manufacture and deliver trailers to meet all our requirements.
“The new tipping trailers are part of our fleet expansion and replacement programme as we grow the business in 2023/24 and they serve our business perfectly. They are versatile and can easily accommodate different types of load.”
THE GRANTHAM SITE
WE’RE LOCATED IN THE HEART OF LINCOLNSHIRE
All trailer manufacture is based at our 64 acre site in Grantham, Lincolnshire, which is centrally located within the UK. The A1 has recently been connected to the B1174 south which runs west of the Grantham site, also London St Pancras and King Cross railway stations are just over an hours train journey away.
We offer market-leading turnaround times and our range of tipping trailers are produced entirely on site, including all engineering design, fabrication processes, shot blasting, painting, brand design and vinyl livery production.
Fruehauf is the longest established tipping trailer manufacturer in the UK. Our trailers have a long history of being robustly built, lightweight, dependable, and versatile enough to suit a wide range of industries and applications.
We pride ourselves on producing British built trailers to service the British agriculture, aggregate, construction, waste management and haulage industries.